1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to picture hanging aids and, more particularly, to a picture hanging position marking tool.
2. Description of the Related Art
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the instant invention; however, the following references were considered related:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor Issue Date ______________________________________ 5,520,318 Conrad B. Sloop May 28, 1996 5,463,817 Richard A. Leeds November 7, 1995 5,443,238 Lawrence Mitchell August 22, 1995 5,398,906 Richard M. Aydelott March 21, 1995 5,109,611 Ronald B. Houck May 5, 1992 4,233,764 Stuart R. Small November 18, 1990 D282,054 Saul Hoffman January 7, 1986 ______________________________________
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,318, a picture hanging apparatus is disclosed having several drawbacks. Such an apparatus, although effective in driving a nail or other supporting apparatus into a wall, is cumbersome to use and expensive to manufacture. Further, such a device can only be used from a position above and in front of the picture, thereby causing a user's assistant to guess at the aesthetic correctness of the picture's position in merely that a user would be blocking such a view.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,463,817, a picture frame leveling device is disclosed that merely assists a user in aligning two adjacent points to the same horizontal level.
Further, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,238, a framed picture hanger system is disclosed which requires the use of a specialized, two part hanger and hook. Such a system does not solve the problem of marking the correct position for driving a nail or other conventional fastener.
Of considerable relevance is U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,906, in which a wall-marking device is disclosed which indeed can assist a user in marking a wall to indicate where to install a support element such as a nail. Such a device, however, again requires either a particular type of saw-toothed bracket, or a wire suspension element, and one embodiment is not adaptable to both. Further, such a device suffers from the particular drawback of being unable to determine the balanced center of the suspension element while being used to mark the wall; such could easily result in either a picture that is not horizontally level or one that must be horizontally off center.
Another picture position marking tool is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,109,611. Such a tool also suffers from the drawbacks of the '318 patent, listed above. Further, such a tool provides a mark upon the wall in a manner that can damage the surface of the wall.
Consequently, a need has been felt for providing an apparatus that can assist a user in measuring and marking in a non-destructive fashion the location of a nail or other securement means to a wall for purposes of supporting a picture.